Tires

London, Great Britain, 21 July 2008 -- Michelin is to become the exclusive tyre partner to A1GP World Cup of Motorsport starting with the 2008/09 season. The French company which has a vast motorsport heritage has signed a three year deal to provide tyres for the new A1GP Powered by Ferrari car.

Michelin tyre technicians have been working hard with the A1GP technical personnel to provide the best possible rubber for the series. Since the Powered by Ferrari car had its first run in Fiorano in late May it has been using the company's tyres and has clocked up over 4,000 kilometres on tracks in Italy and Spain.

05/06/2008 -- Tests conducted by TÜV SÜD Automotive in April and May 2008 show that the new Michelin Energy Saver combines one of the shortest wet-road braking distances of any tire in the market with the biggest fuel savings.

The braking tests were carried out by the German organization using three different tire sizes1 among those most widely sold in Europe, which it purchased in tire outlets. The comparative tests demonstrate that in challenging road conditions, such as on wet surfaces, the Michelin Energy Saver brakes in shorter or comparable distances2 than six of its main, major-brand competitors (when slowing from 80 km/h to 20 km/h).

AutoBild and auto motor und sport test new summer tyres

Hannover, March 18, 2008 -- The latest tests on summer tyres published by AutoBild and auto motor und sport (ams) rated the tyres produced by the Continental Corporation as "exemplary", "good" and "recommended". In particular the testers praised the tyres' excellent balance, good brake performance, secure handling characteristics on wet and dry roads combined with low rolling resistance. In the final ratings ContiSportContact 3 was classed as "exemplary", ContiCrossContact UHP and Barum Bravuris 2 were "recommended" and the new RainSport 2 from Uniroyal was classed as "good". ams awarded ContiPremiumContact 2 second place with a "recommended" rating.

From compacts through to the full-size category

03/12/2008, Hanover -- Continental has taken the logical next step in expanding its range of summer passenger tires. Its top ContiSportContact 3 model is now available in a total of 138 sizes. With short braking distances, good cornering and low rolling resistance for vehicles in the standard-size category and higher, the ContiPremiumContact 2 comes in an impressive 111 sizes. And with the ContiEcoContact 3 the leading German tiremaker leaves nothing to be desired either when it comes to equipping subcompacts and compacts.

The world’s fastest mass-produced tire, the ContiSportContact Vmax is approved for speeds of up to 360 km/h. It is available in the appropriate sizes for all the respective sports cars.

Continental Solutions for SUVs and crossovers

03/12/2008, Hanover -- Continental's comprehensive range of SUV tires has been further expanded again this season. The leading German tire manufacturer now carries no fewer than six summer tire models for 4x4 vehicles. Many 4x4 manufacturers, including Audi, BMW, Land Rover, Mercedes, Porsche and Volkswagen, have already issued original equipment releases. Continental has 60 new sizes for 4x4 cars, SUVs and crossovers this year, with releases issued for speeds of up to 300 km/h.

The ContiCrossContact UHP

Hanover/Charlotte, NC, February 4, 2008 -- After more than ten years of losses Germany-based Continental AG managed to steer operations of its passenger tire business in the Americas into the black in fiscal 2007.

Highlights:
* New products contribute nearly 50 percent to passenger tire sales
* Winter tire business greatly expanded
* Market coverage close to target of 80 percent
* Sales revenue per tire up by more than 20 percent

DALLAS, Feb. 1, 2008 – The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company announced today it will add a third product offering in its popular, award-winning Assurance® line of tires. The announcement was made during the Goodyear Dealer Conference, an annual gathering of the company’s North American retail network.

The new tire, named Assurance, is a mid-tier product in Goodyear’s passenger tire family, joining the brand’s two premium offerings in that segment: Assurance ComforTred™ and Assurance TripleTred™. The new tire will initially be offered in 27 sizes at Goodyear retail outlets and independent tire dealerships by the end of March.

02/01/2008 Hanover, Germany -- The new Volkswagen Passat CC four-door, which just premiered at the Detroit Motor Show (NAIAS), leaves the plant equipped with self-sealing Continental tyres. Using technology they call ContiSeal, the leading German tyre manufacturer has developed a system that makes it possible for a vehicle to continue on its ways even after a tyre has been punctured with a screw or nail.

ContiSeal: Continental's Self-Sealing Tire: A protective layer on the inside of the tread immediately seals holes that develop when screws or nails puncture the tyre, so that no air can escape

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Jan. 28, 2008 – Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC (BFNT) has announced price increases on the company’s Bridgestone and Firestone brand tire lines, as well as all associate brand tires. The announced increases, up to 8 percent, on passenger and light truck, truck and bus, and agricultural and off-the-road tires, will affect the replacement, original equipment and export channels. The price increases are scheduled to begin phasing in March 1, 2008.

Bridgestone Brand Offers Glimpse Of Super Bowl Playbook

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Jan. 24, 2008) – What do Alice Cooper, Richard Simmons and an albino snake have in common? (Hint: They’re not in the latest reality show brought on by the writer’s strike in Hollywood.) They will appear together in a humorous new Bridgestone tire commercial from Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC (BFNT) that will debut during the FOX telecast of Super Bowl XLII on Feb. 3 from Glendale, Ariz.

DETROIT, Mich., Jan. 13, 2008 – Millions of Bridgestone-brand Dueler tires can be found on light trucks from New York to Los Angeles. Four – on a HUMMER in Detroit – can’t be found anywhere else.

Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC (BFNT), in cooperation with General Motors (GM), has designed a Dueler concept tire for the HUMMER HX concept sport utility truck, introduced by GM at the 2008 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS).

GREENVILLE, S.C. (Jan. 3, 2008) – As a result of continuing increases in raw material, energy and transportation costs, Michelin North America is increasing prices on two tire product lines.

* Passenger and light truck replacement tire prices will increase by up to 7 percent on Michelin®, BFGoodrich®, Uniroyal®, private and associate brand tires sold in the United States effective March 3, 2008.
* Earthmover and industrial tire prices, including items on back-order, will increase by up to 3 percent on products sold in the United States and Mexico effective Feb. 1, 2008.

· NASA Glenn Research Center and Goodyear granted Seed Funding
· Step Change Technology required for "Universal" Mobility
· Joint Lunar, Mars project capability could yield "Earthly" rewards

AKRON, Ohio, Dec. 13, 2007 – Goodyear, the innovator of run-flat tire technology on Earth, is working with NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) to significantly evolve the technology and take its capabilities to the rest of the universe.

Part of a funded program by NASA’s Innovative Partnership Program (IPP) to develop non-pneumatic tires for use first on the moon, and eventually on Mars, the IPP Seed Fund was established to advance key technologies to meet critical needs for NASA’s missions.

Tire company and developer reach tentative agreement to build new headquarters and redevelop old facilities for Akron Riverwalk complex.

AKRON, Ohio, December 5, 2007 – The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company Board of Directors has approved a plan that, when finalized, will keep the company’s world headquarters in Akron, Ohio.

The company announced the tentative agreement this morning at a joint press conference with representatives from the Industrial Realty Group, the State of Ohio, the City of Akron and Summit County. The press conference was held at Goodyear’s World Technical Center, adjacent to the proposed future site of its new headquarters building.

· Tire names include Douglas, Kelly, Mohave and Republic
· No defect found in tire after extensive analysis

AKRON, Ohio, November 30, 2007 – The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company is conducting a precautionary customer satisfaction campaign to exchange certain P215/70R14 tires sold under a variety of names in the United States and Canada.

"This precautionary campaign is in response to our internal analysis and review of early warning data we monitor on our tires," said Sim Ford, manager of Goodyear’s government and customer compliance. "The company has determined some of these tires have experienced adverse service conditions that have led to a tread separation, and in the interest of customer satisfaction has decided to replace qualifying tires.

Tokyo, November 27, 2007 – Bridgestone Corporation announced today that it will begin supplying POTENZA RE070R RFT Run-Flat tires (RFT) for factory installation as standard equipment on the NISSAN GT-R, which is scheduled to be released to the U.S. market in June 2008. Bridgestone Run-Flat tires incorporate proprietary technology that allows continued driving/functioning at a specified speed for a specified mileage after losing air pressure.

Continental advocates consumer-friendly and all-inclusive labeling

Hanover, November 12, 2007 -- By means of various regulations, the EU intends to reduce both CO2 emissions and noise pollution from road traffic in the future. Also under discussion in this regard is an “environmental label" aimed at informing consumers about tire rolling re­sistance.

Planned EU Requirements for Tires Would Reduce Road Traffic Safety: Continental advocates consumer-friendly and all-inclusive labeling.

Monterrey, Mexico plant is first outside Japan with new tire production technology

MONTERREY, Mexico, and NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Nov. 6, 2007) – Top officials from Bridgestone Corporation (BSJ), Bridgestone Americas Holding, Inc. (BSAH), Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC (BFNT) and Bridgestone Neumáticos de Monterrey, S.A. de C.V. (BSMR), along with a number of representatives from the city of Monterrey, state of Nuevo Leon and Republic of Mexico, will celebrate the grand opening of the new BSMR tire manufacturing facility in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, on Wednesday. The plant is the first of its kind outside of Japan to operate with breakthrough “BIRD” technology, the new revolutionary tire production system from BSJ.

Hanover/Puchov, November 8, 2007 -- Continental AG has acquired a majority interest in the Slovak company Continental Matador Rubber s.r.o. and is pressing ahead with the organisational integration of the tire, engineering and conveyor belt operations

Continental AG in Hanover has acquired a 51% interest in Continental Matador Rubber s.r.o. based in Puchov, Slovakia.

The tire and conveyor belt busi­ness, together with the rubber processing equipment business unit, were separated beforehand from the parent company Matador a.s., which now holds a 49% interest in the joint company.

* Safety standards not guaranteed for fakes
* Significant victories have already been achieved in the fight against product piracy
* Legal measures are taken where required

Hanover, November 7, 2007 -- International automotive supplier Continental issues an emphatic warning against counterfeit Continental products, from Asia in particular.